What’s New in Revit MEP 2018 for Detailing MEP Fabrication Networks

Revit 2018 software has several new Revit MEP features related to detailing LOD 400 elements to help you extend design to fabrication. Improve modeling productivity with greater accuracy and achieve the detail needed for fabrication, estimation, and installation of building services.

For mechanical contractors using Revit MEP, here are two exciting areas of development:

Sloped fabrication pipework

The sloped model component interaction for fabrication elements has been improved in Revit 2018 by introducing part-by-part modeling for sloped pipes, and introducing the ability to apply slope to fabrication elements that have already been laid out.

Building upon last year’s part-by-part placement of fabrication elements, you can now apply slope to a part as you place it in the model. As you continue to apply elements, you can specify a different slope for each branch. To make it easier, you can select a user-defined slope for the element, rather than having to enter a slope each time. Elements that are required to be horizontal will remain horizontal and elements that require slope will be sloped.

Slope tools for MEP fabrication pipework are similar to slope tools for generic pipework parts. Many commands and workflows behave the same for both generic and fabrication sloped pipe. You no longer need to place an element and rotate it at the required angles before you can start sloping the pipe.

Take a look at the sloped fabrication pipework feature overview video for more detail.

Model sloped pipes part-by-part and apply slope to elements that have already been modeled.

Multi-point routing with MEP fabrication parts

Another improvement was detail modeling productivity in multi-point routing with MEP fabrication parts. The multi-point routing tool gives you the ability to create a run of connected MEP fabrication parts by clicking on points in the model, and more efficiently model ducts, pipes, and electrical containment elements.

Part-by-part modeling for fabrication elements were introduced to meet the needs of the fabrication detailer, especially when they get into tight coordination scenarios. Detailers need the flexibility of the part-by-part modeling tools to accurately place components in the right location and in the right direction.

In addition, you now have the ability to model fabrication components like you would with the design level of detail elements within Revit, or similar to design line in Fabrication CADmep. Parts are automatically selected from the current fabrication service and grouped in the MEP fabrication parts palette. You can change the shape, size, elevation, and the type of fittings as you route the elements, like from a mitered elbow to a radius elbow.

Take a look at the multi-point routing feature overview video.

Model Revit MEP fabrication elements with multi-point routing by clicking on points in the Revit model.